If Gov. Gavin Newsom nominates Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg to the 3rd District Court of Appeal, he’ll have to sit some matters out. The city is a party to at least 15 cases pending before the court.
That would be just one of several unusual things about the potential nomination. Steinberg has never been a superior court judge, though he worked for several years as an administrative law judge and mediator. He has been a “Zelig” like figure as mayor, president pro tempore of the California Senate, private consultant and, more recently, a negotiator brought in to break negotiation stalemates.
Politico was the first to report on Tuesday that Steinberg had applied for an open seat on the appellate bench. Several appellate attorneys and others declined to comment, but multiple people confirmed Steinberg is under evaluation.
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